Journey
Hosea
A prophet whose marriage and children's names carried God's word to Israel, and a love that would not give Israel up. Hosea 1 to 3, 6, 11 and 14.
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Opening stop: A wife and a name, Hosea 1:1
Four kings of Judah are listed, and only one of Israel, Jeroboam son of Joash, in whose reign Jonah foretold Israel's borders restored (2 Kings 14:23-25). Isaiah said he and his children were signs in Israel (Isaiah 8:18), and Jeremiah was told not to marry at all (Jeremiah 16:2). The book does not say whether Gomer was unfaithful before the marriage or only later, and tells little else about her. Jezreel was where Jehu wiped out Ahab's house to take the throne (2 Kings 10:11). 2 Kings 10:30 credits Jehu for it, yet Hosea names that blood as guilt, and the text leaves the two side by side.
The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
King James Version
The chapter opens with a heading verse: "The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel." The Lord tells Hosea to take "a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms" because the land "hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord." Hosea takes Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, who bears him a son. The Lord names the boy Jezreel and gives the reason: he will "avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu" and end the kingdom of the house of Israel, breaking "the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel." A daughter follows, named Lo-ruhamah, "for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel"; Judah, by contrast, will be saved "by the Lord their God" and not by bow, sword, horses or horsemen. After the daughter is weaned, a third child, a son, is named Lo-ammi: "for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God." The chapter then turns. Israel's number will be "as the sand of the sea"; where they were called "not my people" they will be called "the sons of the living God"; Judah and Israel will be gathered under "one head" and come up out of the land, "for great shall be the day of Jezreel."
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This journey has 9 stops. The opening stop is free. Premium opens the rest of the guided path, and every Scripture chapter stays free to read.